Chapter 4: Splitting the Family

Inside the room, tears rolled down Hua Guixiang’s cheeks before she could even speak.

Looking at this elderly woman who so closely resembled her Grandmother from her past life—and who, in this life, was the biological Grandmother of her current body—Qiao Nian suddenly felt as if her chest was stuffed full of cotton, suffocating and aching all at once.

She slowly exhaled, forcibly suppressing the sting in her eyes, and softly comforted the old woman for a while before Hua Guixiang was finally able to stop crying.

“Nian Nian, your Second Uncle is truly worthless. Your parents have only just passed, and already his family dares to bully you like this. I want to split the family—drive them all out. I’ll live with you and your Didi. Would you be willing?”

Hua Guixiang’s voice was hoarse from crying, her tone full of cautious hesitation. Her slightly swollen eyes held a mix of hope and uncertainty.

Qiao Nian felt as if something had slammed into her chest. She was overwhelmed with emotion—partly due to the lingering feelings of the body she now inhabited, and partly because of her own genuine reaction.

A traditionally minded elderly woman from ancient times, who in such circumstances, would choose to protect her orphaned grandchildren at the cost of cutting ties with her own son…

And yet, she was still worried she might become a burden to them.

How much courage and resolve did that take?

Qiao Nian didn’t rush to respond. Instead, she reached out and embraced the woman—whose hair had already turned white, even though she was only in her early forties—hoping to offer her a measure of comfort.

With such a loving relative standing by her, how could she not be willing?

In that moment, she sincerely thanked the heavens in her heart. Perhaps this second chance at life had been granted to allow her to make up for the regrets between them in their past one.

Hua Guixiang was once again caught off guard by her granddaughter’s embrace. She still wasn’t quite used to it—her body tensed slightly.

How many years had it been? Ever since she got married, it seemed no one had ever held her like this to offer comfort. Once she realized what was happening, she slowly lifted her hand and gently patted her granddaughter’s back. And just like that, the tears she had barely managed to hold back began to fall freely once more.

In that moment, the bond between the two of them seemed to grow even deeper. The sorrow that had been pressing on their hearts for days began to ease, as if the burden had suddenly become lighter.

After a long while, Qiao Nian finally released the old woman and said sweetly, “Grandmother, you’re my own Grandmother—how could I not be willing? Splitting from Second Uncle’s family is exactly what I’ve been hoping for.”

“In the future, I’ll make sure you live a good life. You’ll enjoy peace and comfort with us siblings, so don’t even think about leaving us behind.”

Hua Guixiang was amused by Qiao Nian’s slightly cheeky tone and couldn’t help but laugh. The worry in her heart melted away, and she let out a long, relieved sigh. “Good. Then from now on, I’ll enjoy life with you two.”

As her words fell, the two shared a warm smile, and the atmosphere instantly lightened. Hua Guixiang took Qiao Nian’s hand and continued discussing various details about splitting the family. After reaching a preliminary agreement, their conversation gradually quieted down.

Qiao Nian got up and stepped out of the room. Seeing that Lin Shi was no longer in the Courtyard, she figured the woman had likely gone back to her own room. She turned toward the kitchen, filled a bowl with water, and drank deeply. From the moment she had awakened until now, she had been talking non-stop, her emotions rising and falling throughout—it had left her physically drained.

Thankfully, the original host’s Father, Mother, and Grandmother had dearly loved her. The body had been well cared for. If it had been a girl from an average countryside household, enduring so much in a single day, she might’ve collapsed already.

After drinking and resting a bit, she began to feel better. She poured another bowl of water and brought it back to Hua Guixiang’s room.

“Grandmother, have some water to soothe your throat. The Village Chief will be here soon, and I expect there’ll be a lot to talk about,” Qiao Nian said as she handed the bowl to Hua Guixiang.

Hua Guixiang was indeed feeling a bit parched. In her heart, she thought, Only a granddaughter like this would be so thoughtful. If I’d really ended up living with Lao’er’s family, they probably would’ve angered me to death within a few days.

She took the bowl and drank it all in one go.

“Nian Nian has grown up—she knows how to care for her Grandmother now. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely find you an even better match in the future. Don’t dwell on things too much. There are some gossipy women in the village—whatever they say, just pretend you never heard it. Don’t take it to heart,” Hua Guixiang said, her concern deepening the more she thought about it. She was afraid her granddaughter, still so young and emotionally fragile, might hear something unpleasant in a few days and take it too hard.

Qiao Nian felt it was necessary to share her thoughts with her Grandmother—to pave the way for the changes in her temperament that would inevitably show in the days to come.

“Grandmother, I won’t let my thoughts dwell on it any longer. The fact that Chen Ming could do something like that already proves he’s not a good person. I used to be too soft-hearted, but now that Father and Mother are gone, I still have you and Ping’an. From now on, I’ll stand tall. I won’t let anyone bully me again.”

The original host had a gentle and mild disposition. Unless she was pushed to her limit, she would never speak up. But once she was truly cornered, she’d retaliate like a rabbit biting back in desperation.

Qiao Nian, on the other hand, had a naturally cheerful and optimistic personality. Her arrival at this particular point in time wasn’t entirely without merit—it happened to coincide with the original host enduring one blow after another, followed by being schemed against by the second branch. For the sake of protecting herself and her family, it would be perfectly reasonable for her personality to shift a little going forward.

From now on, whenever the opportunity arose, she would share a bit of “life wisdom” with her family. Things like, “The more you experience, the clearer people and situations become.” Over time, she believed they would gradually get used to her changes.

Hearing Qiao Nian’s words, Hua Guixiang felt much more at ease. She assumed her granddaughter had simply matured after going through so much. After all, she was still young. Hua Guixiang could only hope that Qiao Nian would truly stand strong from now on. Her personality before had indeed been far too gentle—so much so that anyone who looked at her wanted to take advantage.

As the two were speaking, a series of quick “da-da-da” footsteps echoed through the Courtyard. Qiao Nian immediately recognized it as her younger brother returning.

“Grandmother! A-Jie! The Village Chief is here, and I also brought Second Uncle back,” Ping’an announced breathlessly, his cheeks slightly flushed from running. His pair of dark, starry eyes sparkled brightly.

Qiao Nian and Hua Guixiang both stood up and stepped outside. Just then, the Village Chief and Qiao Lao’er entered the Courtyard. The group exchanged greetings, and Hua Guixiang invited the Village Chief into the room.

“Auntie, calling me over at this hour—what seems to be the matter?” the Village Chief asked directly after sitting down, wasting no time on pleasantries.

Ping’an, quick-witted as ever, fetched a bowl of water for the Village Chief and placed it neatly on the wooden chest beside him.

Lin Shi, having heard the commotion, quietly squeezed into the room as well, positioning herself behind Qiao Lao’er. Qiao Lao’er gave her a questioning look, trying to ask what was going on. Lin Shi responded with a subtle glance, then shook her head, and finally gestured forward with her chin—signaling him to listen to what his Mother had to say.

Qiao Lao’er didn’t quite understand Lin Shi’s subtle signals, but her shake of the head was clear enough—it meant she didn’t know what the old lady was planning either. With no choice, he perked up his ears and focused on what his mother was about to say.

Hua Guixiang noticed the silent exchange between her second son and Lin Shi out of the corner of her eye, but she paid it no mind. She took a brief pause to rein in her emotions and then spoke calmly:

“Village Chief, I assume you’ve already heard some of what happened at noon today. I won’t beat around the bush. With all this mess between Nian Nian and Jiao Jiao’s engagement, things are bound to be awkward between them going forward. It’s not right for them to continue living under the same roof—it wouldn’t look good, even if we tried to keep the peace. I’ve decided to split the household, to formally separate the first and second branches. Their father’s been gone for three years now. If we divide the family now, no one in the village would have any reason to object.”

“Mother?”
“Auntie!”

Her words landed like thunder.

The Village Chief and Qiao Lao’er were both stunned. Lin Shi’s jaw dropped in shock—she looked as if she couldn’t believe the old lady had actually dared to bring up dividing the household.

Only Qiao Nian and Ping’an remained calm and composed, though if one looked closely, there was a subtle sparkle in Ping’an’s eyes, as if something within him had quietly lit up.

Qiao Nian wasn’t surprised, of course—Hua Guixiang had already discussed this with her in advance.

But Ping’an, despite having had no prior knowledge, had accurately sensed the direction things were headed and now, even after hearing the final announcement, could stay so steady. The slight upward curve of his lips and the gleam in his eyes betrayed his delight.

Qiao Nian couldn’t help but give her younger brother a second look. Could he really be this perceptive?